San Jose Sharks Challenge the Coach’s Challenge

Not everyone is a fan of the Coach’s Challenge. Though the right call is often made as a result, some are unhappy with the interruption to the game and the time it takes to complete the review.

San Jose’s Brenden Dillon scored his first goal of the season on Friday. Until, that is, the Blue Jackets challenged the play.

After a lengthy review – over eight minutes – the linesmen and Situation Room determined that the play was offside. Winger Chris Tierney’s left skate was off the ice when the puck crossed the blueline into the offensive zone.

“The linesman came over,” Dillon said. “I think their quote was something along the lines of, we couldn’t really 100 percent tell, but I guess Toronto was kind of helping (them) out. When you’re that unsure… you’re not able to say, yep, 100 percent his foot was up, it’s was an offside, I just think you leave it as the call on the ice.”

The Sharks defenseman accepted the outcome, but voiced his displeasure with the process.

“If there’s no conclusive evidence right away, and you have to not just phone a friend, get the 50/50 and ask the audience, at that time, that’s why you have [the linesmen] on the ice.”

“They obviously have to tweak a couple things,” Dillon said after the game. “If you can’t find enough evidence in that five minutes, or that three minutes [for the review]… It could be a big momentum shift if the call goes the opposite way, which it did. It’s frustrating.”

Center Logan Couture shared his teammate’s frustration – especially with the impact the delay has on the crowd.

“It kind of drains the energy from the building and the game,” said Sharks center Logan Couture. “I don’t think the [Coach’s Challenge] was intended for that. It’s too close to effect a play. The ones that are obvious, you want to get those right.”

Head coach Pete DeBoer echoed his alternate captain’s comments on the importance of making the right call.

“You do want to get it right. There’s a fine line,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “When you’re dealing with putting in the blue line cameras, for exactly that reason, to see whether his skate left the ice or didn’t leave the ice.

“As good as the technology is, you’re talking about millimeters of space. Those are tough calls. I don’t know what the delay was. I know that the on-ice officials said they didn’t have the same angle that the NHL did, so they went to Toronto and had some different angles.

“They got it right. I looked at it today, it was the right call. Unfortunately, it went against us.”